2/5 is the most highly decorated battalion in the Marine Corps and their motto, "Retreat, Hell!", comes from the French trenches of World War I, when a Marine officer named Lloyd W. Williams was ordered to retreat and replied, "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!"

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2nd Battalion 5th Marines was formed on July 1, 1914 and immediately sailed to the Caribbean to quell political turmoil in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. In June 1917, as part of the United States' entry into World War I, the battalion sailed for France with the rest of the 5th Marine Regiment and the American Expeditionary Force . At the time the battalion was composed of four companies; the 18th, 43rd, 51st and 55th.[1] They fought during the Battle of Belleau Wood, Soissons, and the Meuse-Argonne campaign and were twice awarded the French Croix de guerre with Palm. To this day, members of the Battalion wear the French Fourragère representing this award. Following the armistice of 1918, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines was assigned to occupation duties in Germany until their return to Quantico, Virginia in August 1919.

Beginning in 1920, the Battalion began guarding US Mail trains throughout the United States. In 1927, the Battalion was sent to Nicaragua to fight bandits and to supervise the 1928 Nicaraguan national elections.

Immediately following the 1950 North Korean invasion of South Korea, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines sailed from Camp Pendleton, California to defend the Pusan Perimeter as a part of the famous "Fire Brigade". The Battalion would also participate in the landing at Inchon, the liberation of Seoul, the Chosin Reservoir Campaign, and the defense of the East, Central, and Western Fronts before the war was over. From July 1953 to February 1955, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines assisted in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, after which they again returned to Camp Pendleton.

In April 1966, the Battalion deployed to the Republic of Vietnam and would remain there until 1971. During this time, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines participated in combat operations at Hue City, Que Son, Phu Bai, Dong Ha and Phu Loc. Immediately after their return to Camp Pendleton in 1971, the Battalion joined Operation New Arrivals, the relocation of Southeast Asian refugees to the United States.

For the next fifteen years, the battalion deployed regularly as part of the Marine Corps' Unit Deployment Program. In December 1990, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines sailed for the Persian Gulf in support of Operations Desert Shield / Desert Storm. They were staged in Saudi Arabia and participated in the liberation of Kuwait. During the return transit to the United States, the battalion was diverted to Bangladesh in order to provide humanitarian relief as part of Operation Sea Angel.

On February 2, 2003, 2/5 left MCB Camp Pendleton for Kuwait where they staged prior to the beginning of the war in Iraq. On March 20, 2003 at approximately 2:30 am local time 2/5, as an element of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, commenced operations in Iraq with the start of the Battle of Al Faw. For this operation they were attached with Royal Marines from the 3 Commando Brigade crossing into Iraq the first night of the invasion. The initial objective was to secure to Rumalia Oilfields. Upon completing the seizure of this objective, 2/5 attacked north and got as far as Samarra before the end of the initial combat phase of the Iraq War. They then conducted security and stabilization operations (SASO) in Samawah, Iraq. Relieved by the 1st bn of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps (who were soon augmented by Japanese forces acting in a strictly non-combat role), 2/5 returned to Camp Pendelton in August.

September 2004 saw 2/5 return to Iraq, this time being stationed in Ramadi, a hotbed of insurgent activity 30 miles west of Fallujah and 60 miles west of Baghdad. During this deployment 2/5 suffered 15 Marines killed in action, 10 from Weapons Company. Elements from 2/5 began returning to Camp Pendleton on Easter, 2005.

In March 2007, 2/5 was deployed to Iraq for the third time, stationed again in Ramadi. While deployed to Ramadi, Golf Company was unexpectedly tasked with operations in the city of Karmah.

In September 2009, 2/5 deployed as a Battalion Landing Team (BLT) as part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). BLT 2/5 relieved their sister battalion BLT 3rd battalion 5th Marines. The MEU deployed for its fall patrol in a small deck ARG configuration aboard the USS Denver, USS Tortuga and USS Harpers Ferry. The MEU had started its Certification Exercise (CERTEX) when it was redirected to the scene of several natural disasters in the Republic of the Philippines and Indonesia. With the relief effort complete, the MEU transitioned to PHIBLEX and conducted bilateral training with the Philippine Armed Forces. Additionally, the Japanese Self Defense Force (JSDF) and Co. G, BLT 2/5 conducted Exercise Forest Light 2010 at Sekiyama, Japan. The two nations conducted live fire ranges including mortars, Combat Marksmanship Program (CMP), machinegun ranges and helicopter-borne operations.[2] 2/5 returned to Camp Pendleton in April 2010.

In January 2011, 2/5 was again designated as a Battalion Landing Team (BLT) as part of the 31st MEU. 2/5 relieved BLT 1/7. 2/5 was instrumental in supporting humanitarian assistance missions for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. After conducting several bilateral training exercises with multiple nations, BLT 2/5 was relieved by BLT 2/7 and returned to Camp Pendleton in June 2011.

In February 2012, 2/5 deployed for the first time to Helmand province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. 2/5 was a part of Regimental Combat Team 6 (RCT-6) and served as the ground combat element of Regional Command Southwest. The Marines serving with the battalion worked in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces, helping the Afghan army and police provide security services to the Afghan people and smothering insurgent activity. The battalion was assigned to cover Now Zad and Musa Qala districts in northern Helmand province, and all cities and villages that lied in between. During the deployment, the battalion executed a 17-day operation in a village that was a Taliban stronghold between Now Zad and Musa Qala, dubbed Operation Branding Iron. Tragically during the deployment, the battalion lost three Marines to combat action: Sgt. Wade Wilson, Cpl. Anthony Servin and Lance Cpl. Joshua Witsman. The battalion returned to Camp Pendleton in September 2012.[3]

Private First Class Robert E. Simanek, while serving with Company F, 2/5, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his act of valor on of the August 17, 1952, in which he threw himself on a grenade to save the lives of fellow Marines. PFC Simanek survived and received the Medal of Honor from President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

On July 4, 1967, PFC Melvin E. Newlin single-handedly broke up and disorganized an entire enemy assault force. In the course of his actions, he was mortally wounded. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism.

Major Lloyd W. Williams. A famous saying is attributed to Williams, who was serving as a company commander in the 5th Marines during the Battle of Belleau Wood. When advised to withdraw by a French officer at the defensive line just north of the village of Lucy-le-Bocage on June 1, 1918, he is said to have replied: "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!" Captain Williams would not survive the ensuing battle, and was posthumously promoted to major and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.